OCVA and Public Affairs
As the Regional Destination Management Organization for the entire Oregon Coast, it’s our privilege and responsibility to work on behalf of tourism industry partners coastwide.
Our public affairs work includes monitoring opportunities and challenges within our industry; monitoring the economic impact of tourism for our communities; tracking bills and advocating for tourism in the Oregon state legislature; communicating the value of tourism to coastal communities and stakeholders; and sharing information and resources with our industry partners.
2025 Oregon Legislative Session
We are tracking several bills in the 2025 Oregon Legislative Session that may have a significant impact on Oregon Coast tourism.
- Subscribe to receive timely industry updates from OCVA
A major piece of legislation that threatens the coastal economy is HB 3962 (formerly HB 3556), which would allow tax districts to redirect a portion of net lodging tax revenues to fund essential services, shifting money away from tourism promotion and development.
Why is the Oregon Coast Visitors Association opposing HB 3962?
This bill would reduce the percentage of Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) funds dedicated to tourism promotion and support, diverting them into general city or county budgets. This shift could have long-term negative impacts on tourism, which is a primary economic driver for coastal communities.
Tourism-related businesses and local economies rely on TLT funds to enhance visitor experiences, support tourism infrastructure, and market the Oregon Coast as a premier destination. If this allocation is changed, it could weaken the tourism industry’s ability to sustain and grow the economy.
What can you do?
Submit written testimony in opposition to HB 3962. Personalized testimony from local DMOs and tourism industry stakeholders will be essential in reinforcing the importance of protecting TLT for tourism promotion and development.
In the 2025 session, we are watching bills related to recreational immunity. Specifically, Senate Bill 179 would restore recreational immunity protections for cities, counties, and government agencies that allow public access to their land for recreation. This would protect these entities from liability in cases of injury sustained by individuals recreating on their land.
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) is part of a coalition advocating for this bill, alongside the Oregon Trails Coalition, Salmonberry Trail, League of Oregon Cities, the Association of Oregon Counties, and others.
Recreational immunity is essential not only for local outdoor enthusiasts but also for visitors who come to the coast for recreation. We strongly advocate for expanding this bill to include private landowners in addition to public lands. Ensuring private landowners have the same protections as public entities would enable the continued access of many of our beaches and trails, benefiting both visitors and locals.
What you can say:
As stakeholders in Oregon Coast tourism, we support extending recreational immunity protections to all recreational lands open to the public for free use, including privately owned properties. Expanding this protection will help ensure greater access to recreation along the coast while mitigating legal risks for landowners who allow public access.